


The Will To Live

by PurplMuffinXTRM



Series: Changing Tides [6]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Aftermath, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Family Feels, Minor Violence, Post-Marineford, Recovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-18
Updated: 2018-07-18
Packaged: 2019-06-12 14:59:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15342351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurplMuffinXTRM/pseuds/PurplMuffinXTRM
Summary: It's been two years since Marineford and Ann is still having trouble dealing with the deaths of her boyfriend, brother, and father. Rayleigh and Marco try to help.





	The Will To Live

A year has passed since the Paramount War. Red-haired Shanks helped bury Ace and Whitebeard before leaving what remains of the Whitebeard crew to their own devices.

Currently, they are trying to protect one of their islands. It's one they visit often. So often they call it their second home. It's a sanctuary Whitebeard created. Lost in the depths of the sea is their first home, the Moby Dick. 

Fourth division commander Gol D. Ann, the 'White Flare,’ runs through the town. Members of the fourth and second divisions follow close behind her. The town citizens have taken shelter inside their homes. A group of pirates gathers at the end of town. 

Ann draws her sword, leading the charge. “This country is ours. **Leave.** ” 

Several enemy pirates fall to her conqueror's haki. Those that remain clash swords and guns with the two Whitebeard divisions. Ann moves fast, cutting down pirate after pirate as she makes her way to the captain. She ignores the bullets and swords as her body momentarily turns to white and the weapons faze through her. 

“Flare!” White spreads out around her, the edges turn hard and pierce through several pirates. 

“Push them back,” Marco orders as the first division runs in to support the fourth and second divisions. 

Ann seizes the opportunity and rushes the captain. Their swords clash. They each parry blow after blow until the captain's sword rips through Ann’s chest and side. She bites her lip to stop herself from screaming. She groans holding a hand to her wound. She stumbles back from her opponent, eyes wide, blood trailing her mouth and soaking through her tank top. 

“Sorry, I should have told you.” The enemy captain grins. “My sword is made of seastone.”

Sandaled feet crash into the captain's face as blue flames disperse to reveal the first division commander. “What the hell are you doing?” Marco growls as he finishes off the captain. “You're going to get yourself killed.” He slings Ann’s arm across his shoulder, and half carries, half forces Ann to walk away from the battlefield and back to their docked ship. “Dumbass.”

Ann stares at the ground in front of them as they walk away from their comrades. “Why’s it matter?”

“You're being reckless. You're supposed to be setting an example for the rest of the crew. You're a division commander. Two technically.”

“And whose fault is that?”

“You could have turned it down. You don't have to lead both divisions. If it's too much for you, we can find someone to help you or even give the title of commander to one of the division commanders. Or to one of the members of the second division.”

“That's not what I mean. I don't mind being both fourth division and second division commander. My issue is that I never should have had to become a commander in the first place.”

Marco sighs. “I get it, Ann. We're all pissed at Blackbeard. But that doesn't mean you have to act like this.”

“Doesn’t matter. Nothing does. We lost the Payback War, Marco.”

“That’s why we’re here. We’re going to lay low on this island for a while. We’ll rest and get stronger. Then we’ll gather our allies and try again. But to do that, you have to get your act together and not get yourself killed.”

“Easier said than done,” Ann mutters. “I’m not going to stop until I get Teach’s head.”

Marco sighs again. “I was afraid you’d say that.”

Several members of the Whitebeard crew lounge inside of the Rip Off bar on the Sabaody Archipelago. They all wear cloaks to disguise themselves from both the Marines and other pirates. After all, they have managed to stay hidden for over a year. They don't want to ruin that now. Some of the crew had been getting restless on the other island, so Ann and Marco agreed to accompany them on a much-needed break to Sabaody. 

Ann currently sits outside the bar, lower back pressed against the building as she hugs her legs to her chest. The hood of her cloak hides the part of her face that isn't buried in her knees. Rayleigh sits on the hill near the young commander, his back to the much younger pirate. 

“What would my father do?” Ann shifts, resting her chin on her knees and staring at the back of the retired first mate’s head. 

“Didn't know Whitebeard well enough to tell ya.”

“I meant Roger.”

Rayleigh laughs. “Roger acted more like a child than a man. You and Ace have a lot more in common with him than you realize. But it doesn't matter. What he'd do has nothing to do with this moment. He's not here anymore, but you are. You have to decide for yourself.”

Ann sighs and buries her face in her knees again. A few minutes pass before Marco walks out and settles down on the ground next to his crewmate. “The Heart and Strawhat Pirates allied and took down a warlord.”

“Of course those brats did.” Rayleigh shakes his head with a grin. “Which one?”

“Doflamingo.”

“Good,” Ann mutters. “That asshole was creepy.”

Marco and Rayleigh laugh. “He kinda was,” Marco agrees. “How’s your shoulder, Ann?”

Ann sits up straighter, lifting her head partly, putting a hand on her injured left shoulder. “Fine.”

“You know you have _really_ got to stop rushing into things.” 

“As if I didn’t before.”

“The difference is before you were _actually_ thinking while you were doing it. Now, you’re not. You don’t think; you just attack blindly. You take hits you could easily dodge. You’re putting your life on the line for no reason when before the only time you did it was to protect someone. You’re acting reckless and wild. This is getting out of control, Ann.”

“Why do you care?”

“Because you’re my crewmate, my friend, and my brother. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. Besides if Ace found out I let his little sister get seriously injured he’ll be pissed.”

“Ace is dead.”

“You know damn well he’ll just go around haunting me. Thatch would too.”

Ann stifles a giggle. “Big deal. What’s it matter? If I die, I die. Maybe then I can be with them.”

“Ann, you don’t mean that.”

“Yes, I do.” Ann lifts her head up completely, staring the first division commander straight in the eyes. “I don’t care if I live or die. Without Thatch or Ace, I have no reason to live for.”

“What about the rest of the crew? The ones you call your friends? The ones you call your brothers?”

“I called Ace my brother too. Hell, he was related to me by blood. He was my fucking twin. And look at what happened to him. And Thatch? He was my boyfriend. The same thing happened to him. They’re both dead, Marco! All because of that bastard! Fucking Marshall D. Teach. At one point I called him my best friend. Hell, I even called him my brother. And look at what he did to our family. Thatch. Ace. Pops. They’re all fucking dead because of him.”

“You think I don't know that.” Marco slaps Ann across the face. “You’re not the only one who’s suffering. You’re not the only one who lost people they care about. But, you’re the only one acting like this. This isn’t helping anyone. You’re not only making it harder for yourself but for everyone else. Ace, Thatch, and Pops gave their lives for us. Now it’s time we get back on our feet and live the life we’ve been given.”

“What if I don’t know how to do that?”

“You need to figure it out, Ann. I can’t do it for you, but I can help you. Anything you need Ann, just let me know.”

“I need a reason to live. I need a reason to keep going without Ace.”

“You’ve lived without Ace before. Back when you left your home island.”

“That was different. I was pissed off at Ace and had to prove to myself I didn’t need him. Now, I’m pissed at him for dying, but there’s nothing I can do about that. Not unless I see him in the afterlife or whatever.”

"What about Luffy? He was right there with us when Ace died. Hell, Ace died in Luffy’s arms. What will happen to him if you die? You saw how Luffy reacted to Ace’s death. And I’m sure you know how he reacted to Sabo’s death as well. How do you think they’ll react to losing his only sister and his last living sibling?”

Ann is silent for a while as she goes back to hugging her legs to her chest and rests her chin on her knees. She stares distantly at the numbered trees of the Archipelago. “Then let me go to him.”

“What?”

“Words mean nothing. You can say them all you like. You tell me to live. Live for Luffy. Live for the crew. For our family. For our brothers. For Thatch. For Ace. For Pops. None of those words matter. I have to do them. I have to find those words in my life for myself. So let me go to the Strawhat pirates. Let me fight beside Luffy, my little brother. Let me remember why I have to keep living and let me experience it for myself.”

“So, in order to live you need to stop being a Whitebeard pirate?” Marco frowns.

“No!” Ann nearly jumps to her feet. She remains sitting next to the older man although her eyes are wide and her mouth moves but doesn’t make any sound. Finally, she whispers, 

“No.” Then louder, “I’ll never stop being a Whitebeard Pirate. I’ll never willingly leave this family. What I’m saying is I need to be by Luffy’s side for a little bit. I don’t plan on joining his crew. But, I need to remind myself what it means to be Luffy’s big sister.”

“Then how do we go about that? How do you go fight beside Luffy without the world thinking you’re part of his crew?”

“It could be the Whitebeard Pirates comeback!” Ann realizes.

Rayleigh laughs. “What does that mean, brat?”

“A year ago, Marco said that the Whitebeard Pirates would lay low for a bit to heal up and get ready to face Blackbeard again. He said that we would come out of hiding and start gathering our allies to fight the bastard.”

“And how does that help you here?”

“Simple. I go to the Strawhat Pirates and the Heart Pirates as a representative of the remaining Whitebeard Pirates. Then I ask them to be our allies and join us in our fight against Blackbeard.”

“No doubt, Luffy would say yes. He hates Blackbeard. That and he loves you so he’d be all over it.”

Marco laughs. “All right then. You’ll go to the Strawhats and the Heart pirates as a representative of the Whitebeard crew. Ask them to join our alliance. And then, you stay with the Strawhat Crew as our go-between. I’ll give you a snail to take with you.”

“Yes! Thank you, Marco,” Ann tackles the first division commander in a hug. Before Marco gets the chance to hug her back, Ann pulls away. “What about the second and fourth divisions? Who will take care of them?”

Marco grins. “Don’t worry about them. I’ll take care of the second division, and I'm sure Izo would be willing to take care of fourth. Now come on.” Marco stands up pulling her up with him. “Let’s go inside and have some fun with our brothers and sisters before you set out.”

“Alright.” Ann smiles for the first time in two years as she follows Marco into Rip Off.


End file.
